Videos have become the most powerful way to reach customers online today. Unfortunately, these videos don’t have nearly as much power if they don’t rank on Google and other search engines.
That’s the big question, right? How can we rank YouTube videos in Google?
Luckily, there are six key tips on how to rank YouTube videos in Google that you can use to increase the reach of your most powerful advertising resources.
- Optimize your video name and filename when uploading to YouTube. Optimize your video name, so the purpose and content is clear. For Google, this means the public title on YouTube, but also the raw video filename. Make sure that you upload the video with a clear title that is just as optimized as any public content associated with the video. Google’s algorithm will have an easier time indexing your content, improving your rank.
- Make your video at least a minute long (but otherwise as short as possible). Google doesn’t use the number of clicks on a video alone for ranking purposes. It also looks at how long users actually watch each video. That’s why your video needs to be at least a minute long in order to maximize engagement metrics. The longer the valuable content you provide, the more engaged your users will seem — and the better you avoid a dangerous spam label from YouTube or Google.
- Make the description and thumbnail appealing. People make a split-second decision whether or not to watch your video, so make the search description and the chosen thumbnail as professional and attractive as possible. A custom thumbnail and SEO-optimized description go a long way towards building interest, which in turns builds rank.
- Add your video to a themed playlist. Playlists built around a common theme increase the rank of your video, especially when paired with other highly ranked content. Users will go to view other popular videos and discover your content, which (assuming you’ve curated your playlist carefully) keeps them interested. Not only will you build interest, you’ll quickly build the rank of your YouTube video in Google.
- Leverage video keywords. As with anything in SEO, the right keyword makes all the difference. Choose a targeted keyword with significant traffic and a targeted audience for the best chance at ranking your video. Then use that keyword across your YouTube video page, within the video itself, and wherever you promote the video link. The right keyword differentiates your video from the millions of competitors on YouTube and other video platforms already.
- Post your video on as many platforms as possible. Build links to your video to better index its content on Google. If you embed your video on Facebook, company blogs, Pinterest, Tumblr, and everywhere possible, its ranking will improve. You’ll be surprised by how much power link building gives any video you produce. Google trusts its users to determine a video’s relevancy, so sharing your video on social media (and getting your followers to re-share) builds rank automatically.
These six tips will help transform an average video into a powerful way to increase your reach on Google. Of course, it’s not always easy to rank YouTube videos in Google. Only a few (if any) videos will be shown for each searched keyword. That’s why investing in expert help can go a long way in increasing your reach.
Let Provaro consultants help your increase the rank of your YouTube content in Google by setting up an appointment to talk about your digital media strategy today.
Talk to one of our Santa Rosa SEO experts today! Contact us today to learn how we can help you rank your YouTube videos to grow your business. 707.595.7002
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